Commuting - The commute today sucked - bike stolen....mpls riders take caution..

Mpls riders:
Have you seen this bike? It was stolen today from my
workplace bike garage.

Here's the commuter:
http://pod.ath.cx/nu2.jpg

Well, today's commute was interesting in that it was
cool and overcast but perfect riding weather.

I saw fewer riders than usual due to the weird weather
(it was sort of dark and windy) and most of them were
outbound.

I did 8.24 miles at an average speed of 15.6 in about
30 minutes.

When I lock my commuter, I'm really anal about it - I
have (had) a beefy Specialized cable lock - I go thru
the rear wheel, then a hole in the frame just below the
seatpost, then around the front wheel.

The area in my building where bikes are locked are in
a entry way to the loading dock with large diagonal
metal triangles about six inches thick sealed in solid
concrete. In other words, they would need to tear the
building down to make those things move.

Beyond where the bikes are is a 40 foot tall set of
folding metal doors that are now closed due to fears
of terrorism. They used to be open so loading dock
personnel could see if someone who didn't belong there
was hanging around. No more.

So I get out of work and I come out and the place
where my bike was were two other bikes.

There's no sign at all of my bike. I took my twin
Cateye EL300 headlights and Cateye Enduro 2 computer
with me when I locked the bike so the mounting hardware
for these items is still with the bike. I also lost a
cheap $5 cateye taillight that is still on the bike.

My guess is they used a hefty cable cutter to cut
the cable I was using (Specialized Hardrock Rapper -
don't get it, it's crap) and just tossed it in a
trash bin somewhere and took the bike.

The bike didn't even have 150 miles on it! It's
at 144.34 miles and while it wasn't an amazing bike
like my roadie ride it did the job. Now I'm out
some bucks. Grumble.

A rider came into the garage when I was talking with
the cops on my cell and he had the same damn lock that
I did - I told him to get a better lock! He had an
older bike but I'm beginning to think that I need to
ride an unsafe piece of crap to just to be able to keep
it.

I'll have to seek other solutions for locks - I'll get
the Kryptonite "kick you in the gonads" lock or
something.

But replacing the bike is something I'll have to look
at very carefully.

If I use the gift certificates I got for my b-day to
buy a testosterone lock and ride my mountain bike I
still run the chance of it being stolen.

What to do, what to do.....

The bike lockup there has bikes locked there that are
a lot nicer than the commuter:

(1) Kona hardtail with Rockshock Judy XC and LX/XT.
(2) Cannondale comfort bike with suspension seatpost/front fork/LX
(3) Bridgestone MB-2 in great shape, racks, etc.

Other than the fact that the bike I had there was
relatively new, the other bikes would have been a
better sale value for any prospective thief.

I noticed most of the people in that area were using
U-locks instead of cable locks.

I'll be notifying the building management and my boss
to notify employees. Also, I'll be posting a notice
in the bike lockup area to let riders know they are at
risk.

Ideas?

Sorry to hear about your loss. I think you've covered the basics - lock wise have a look at www.soldsecure.com - they independently test and rate locks. The only thing I can think of that you haven't mentioned is making your bike look less attractive - a casual thief will go for the shiniest not the most expensive and probably won't know his deore from his XT - it won't help against professionals but judiciously applied tape, carrier bag wrapped round your seat etc. might discourage the opportunist.

Richard

Thats tough alright , I feel your loss ,it will bring the thief bad karma !

Damn that sucks! I know what it's like to have a bike stolen from recent experience. I hope you recover that bike soon. If they had to hang around long enough to cut through a cable there's a reasonable chance someone might have seen them.

I'm sorry to hear about the stolen bike. I've had two stolen, one quite some time ago, and one about six years ago. Luckily now I can keep my bike in my cubicle during work.

Yesterdays return commute brought drenching rains. Luckily the temperature was nice, and I avoided the areas which tend to flood.

Since it sounds like there are several people in your building that commute, maybe you could talk to the management about installing lockers. Explain what happened to you and they may be open to the idea...especially in light of the terroism concerns that caused them to shut the doors.

Scums! :( Very sorry to hear of your stolen bike! :(

Turns out there are cameras in the
loading dock after all. Security in
my building is reviewing the tapes to
see the perp.

As for a bike, I have a "Plan B" - stay
tuned.

I commute in New York City which is the bike crime capital of the world. (I think) According to local bike shops, every single CV lock created has been compromised. The professional bike crooks don't even need a bolt cutter anymore to steal your bike. Basically. If you leave your bike on the street, you should expect it to get stolen eventually.

My solution is simple. Get a junk bike. I just bought an old Schwinn three speed (Sturmey Archer) and will use that bike when my Pacific Toy store bike gets stolen. That's a big IF since who in their right mind would break a Kryptonite New York Chain for a cheap Pacific. What surprises me is the fact that Toy bike has been on the streets for TWO WHOLE MONTHS!

So that's my advice. Get a very used bike (Three speed) or buy a Toy store bike to commute with.

You'll also need three locks on a bike. A chain or a U-lock around the frame and rear wheel. A cable lock around the front wheel. A cable lock around the seat. Furthermore, the chain or U-Lock should cost more than $70.00 USD.

A lot of people on the forum don't want to commute with an older bike or a three speed. This is a mistake. I just rode my Schwinn 3 speed today to the bike shop for more repairs to make it road worthy and found myself with a big broad smile. The straight seat position of that bike was so relaxing and enjoyable compared to my MTB Toy store bike. A three speed is the type of bike that's far more superior than any Toy Store bike but equally as safe to use as a commuter since it's considered old school.

Hey,

Sorry for the loss, one can only hope (unfotunately this isn't always that case), that the bike eventually finds its way to a devoted rider (with luck, you again!).

My commuter is a mild steel roadie i got for 20 bucks, singlespeeded, with a nice set of cranks from an old peugot (http://www.rit.edu/~nab0513/beater.jpg). For commuting, i think getting a cheap bike with promise and giving it the love that most likely it was denied is the best option. Not only do you resurrect a forgotten steed, but if it gets stolen you lose very little, and you get the chance to breathe new life into another bicycle.

An unattractive bike ? when you find your bike still there but someones stole your expensive lock !!!:eek:

Update:

On saturday I visited the local bike shop and picked up two
Specialized Nimbus slicks and put them on my mountain bike
and turned it into a commuter.

First of all a nice ride on the Bloomington River bottoms to get
it muddy and undesirable looking. It already kind of looks like
heck.

I removed the chainstay guard, got rid of anything that made
it look "chi chi" and then started plastering it with stickers.
It looks like the bike a teenage kid would have beaten to
death now.

I also bought a Kryptonite New York Chain and the monster
disc padlock..

(see pic at http://pod.ath.cx/lock.jpg)

Given that it's highly unlikely that this bike is going to be seen
as desirable much less "cool" I think it is reasonably safe.

I also ordered thru my LBS the mounting hardware that was
stolen with the other bike for my lights and computer, etc.

I commuted today on the new ride and it even seems a bit
faster than the other commuter I had. It's certainly faster
than when it had knobbies on it.

I spoke with another commuter who was getting ready for
work and said that his bike and a number of others had been
stolen. His apparently was stolen two days before christmas.
Nice. He said he's talked to other people who use that facility
who had bikes ripped off.

Since then he's used one of the bike lockers the metro transit
folks offer. I'm seriously considering it myself.

I think that the thieves think that loading dock is easy pickings
because of the fact that the loading dock doors are closed unless
a truck is entering/exiting due to post-9/11 hysteria. Anyone
can go in there even though there are cameras watching,
although there is no sign that cameras are present.

Originally posted by aliensporebomb
Turns out there are cameras in the
loading dock after all. Security in
my building is reviewing the tapes to
see the perp.

As for a bike, I have a "Plan B" - stay
tuned.

Did the security find anything in the tapes??

"Get a junk bike. "

I concur. My main commuter right now is a an old Peugeot UO-10. I've artfully touched it up with primer and left it. It rides beautifully and cost me all of thirty-five bucks at a local thrift store, plus a few bucks for the bearings, grease, and cables I used to overhaul it. The theft attractiveness of this 1976 "classic" has gotta be pretty darn low.

Security dropped the ball. Either they couldn't really find anything on the tapes or they didn't really make an effort to look.

They seemed gung-ho at first, then really, really passive. My guess: insurance liability. They cannot be held responsible for bike theft on their property was a mantra they repeated over and over again. Annoying.

So, I basically turned my old mountain bike
into a commuter since I didn't want to spend
another $250-$300 on a bike that looked new
enough to steal. Popped slicks onto it and away I went.

Here's my current commuter which is beaten up enough so that nobody is going to try and steal it, a mid 90s Mongoose Surge mountain bike with slicks:

http://pod.ath.cx/surge.jpg

I dunno, I've had a couple of "junk" bikes get stolen, including an old Takara that I miss desperately! U-locks are a great investment. I think in Crackhead Bootcamp they issue you bolt cutters, but I have yet to see one with a cutting torch.

Not to be the knowitall bastage, BUT, is it possible to take your bike INSIDE with you? Perhaps in your office? I work for a bank, and due to my lack of vision, I am a forced commuter. My work understands and has allowed me to bring my beautiful ride inside the building to my work room. I do feel for your loss, my house was robbed while I was at my girlfriends one night. They got the computer and my favorite rack of CDs. I have seen television specials on locks, and if the thief is a pro, no lock is going to stop him. Just remember, if you catch someone stealing a bike, kill him first and swear it was self defense. Did I mention I hate theives?

For my money, I would never lock my bike up for a long time (more than about 30 minutes) without using a d-lock. I normally take off the front wheel and lock through my frame both wheels. This is usually quite a snug fit, so it's hard to get a lever into the lock. The locking arrangement may make my bike look conspicuous but breaking a d-lock (without breaking the bike) is hard and obvious, so thieves generally don't bother.

If you're persistent you can cut most cable locks with hand-tools in a couple of minutes. Heavy-duty chains are a bit better but are usually much too heavy to take with you.

I live in London, and although I've had a bike stolen at knife point as I was unlocking it - I've never had one stolen while it was locked up (I even left it on Oxford St on a Saturday night once while I was getting drunk).

Team

Originally posted by Dr. Manhattan
I think in Crackhead Bootcamp they issue you bolt cutters

:lol:

Hope you got that lock upgraded since the word is out about the Bic.

Fastgreen has one solution: lobby your employer to let you take the bike inside. I know this won't work for some people, but if you haven't asked recently, ask again. And pick the person you ask carefully. If the building manager is a softie, start with him or her. There may be a basement or utility area you can use. You can also ask someone in the company hierarchy, but pick that person carefully, too. You probably have several choices, but you won't get a higher up to overrule someone on this type of thing, so you only have one shot. And, since your bike was recently stolen, you might have the empathy factor on your side.

Basically, use the skill you learned as a child--knowing whether mom or dad is more likely to say "yes."

Another solution is to lobby your employer/city for bike lockers. But this is a long, long, long process.

Other than the fact that the bike I had there was
relatively new, the other bikes would have been a
better sale value for any prospective thief.

I noticed most of the people in that area were using
U-locks instead of cable locks.

Well, you've got three lessons there:

(1) Thieves avoid U-locks. Even after the bic pen scare. Cable locks are trivial to break.

(2) The value of the bike is somewhat secondary to the ease of breaking the lock.

(3) You need to be locked up better than the next guy.

This has been a really educational thread. Very sorry for the loss of your beloved mount, but at least resta assured that sharing your experience has helped inform others and will hopefully prevent thefts in the future.

I had luck in Boston with convincing my boss to allow me to bring my bike into my office. This was after Sept. 11, when due to security concerns they shut off access to the back door to the courthouse I worked in; before they did that, I used to be able to leave my bike in a back storage room, but no more. Now there was no place but outside to lock up a bike, and leaving a bike outside in the rainy Boston fall is a rusty death sentence (not to mention it'd be easy picking for thieves -- it would have been locked right outside a courthouse, which is where the thieves who aren't so good at their trade end up! So highlighting my sense of environmentalism by commuting and the security and damage concerns for the bike carried the day, and I was permitted to walk the bike through the main lobby (including through the metal detectors!) and up the elevator to my office. My case was helped in that I showed up to work before any of the public ever entered the building, and frequently left later than most everyone else, so I wouldn't be a distraction or in the way of normal business in getting from the front door up to my office. Like someone else said, it's all in who you ask -- here, I decided to roll the dice, all or nothing, and ask the judge I was clerking for -- the Chief Justice of the court of last resort in the state. She said yes. Very, very cool.

So where do all our bikes go that are taken from us?

So where do all our bikes go that are taken from us?

Craigslist.

How about you people check your dates before repling to things hmmm? This thing died in 2003!!! I can't believe you got sucked in by a newbie repling to a two year old dead post

alienspore, the original link to the picture of your bike can't be found.

I find that kind of ironic, actually... ;)

alienspore, the original link to the picture of your bike can't be found.

I find that kind of ironic, actually... ;)
http://img247.echo.cx/img247/9361/pimpslap1lp.gif

How about you people check your dates before repling to things hmmm? This thing died in 2003!!! I shouldn't need to add this, but reading the posts in that thread that immediately precede yours is probably a good idea too. :rolleyes:

Security dropped the ball. Either they couldn't really find anything on the tapes or they didn't really make an effort to look.

They seemed gung-ho at first, then really, really passive. My guess: insurance liability. They cannot be held responsible for bike theft on their property was a mantra they repeated over and over again. Annoying.Particularly annoying if security is wrong about their liability:

Who's liable? (http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/6965.0.html)

How about you people check your dates before repling to things hmmm? This thing died in 2003!!! I can't believe you got sucked in by a newbie repling to a two year old dead post


:beer:

Old post maybe, but still a valid topic, when security says they're not liable for theft. Or did bike theft die in 2003 as well?

I have thought about replying to old posts myself when searching the threads for a specific topic but have refraimed so far. There is a lot of good information that is burried and somethimes it almost makes more sence than to post a new thread. Especialy if you have something new to add and the topic is one that is relavent. Like this one.

So where do all our bikes go that are taken from us?

NYC deliverymen buy them from some super secret market and then them into oblivion. Funny story on friday i was leaving work and saw a delivery guy for a local chinese food restaurant trying desperately to ride an obviously (maybe) stolen fixed gear to his delivery, he fell twice trying to get the bike moving and then went ass over tea kettle (what the hell does that mean) when he tried to coast at a stoplight. The bike was about three sizes too big and I just had to say, that's karma, ride someone elses bike and your going down...

what go around come around.they get they someday.